Hong Kong Trip Episode 1: The Beginning

Well, I just back from my graduation trip to Hong Kong on the past Sunday. Can say it was my first REAL oversea trip in my life; the other was being the university exchange programme in China 2 years ago. It was a truly memorable, fruitful journey and I miss Hong Kong a lot after the end of the trip...Arrhh, I want to go Hong Kong again!!!

This trip has been planned since December last year, where initially it was a two-week trip around Hong Kong, Southern China and Macau. Unfortunately, the problem that I prayed not to happen...happened: Influenza A(H1N1) paid a long-term visit to the Earth since April 2009. My parents advised me not to go for trips. Another reason was I'm afraid of being called for company interviews during the trip (which fortunately scheduled right before and after the trip).

Almost ruined my travel plan.

Observing the actual H1N1 situation was not as agressive as it was thought initially, finally I made my mind to go ahead with the Hong Kong trip! The trip has been shortened to become one week "eat and play till drop Hong Kong trip" due to limited budget and the H1N1 crisis.

And here goes the trip...

Departed from Singapore on 14th June 2009, I headed north to KL Sentral by train...

Last minute ticket booking, no choice but chose Aircond First Class (AFC) seat. Quite a comfortable journey, was given a piece of chocolate cake and mineral water. Newspapers were available too. Got power plug beside my seat but I didn't bring my laptop...sigh...

KTMB AFC 2.49pm - 9.20pm Johor Bahru to KL Sentral MYR 64.00

Reached KL Sentral, the transportation terminal of Kuala Lumpur around 9.20pm, followed by taking Skybus, shuttle bus service by AirAsia, to KLIA-LCCT (Kuala Lumpur International Airport - Low Cost Carrier Terminal). Paid earlier via AirAsia website at MYR 6.50. Reached LCCT an hour plus later.

A lot of people and cars, even it was already midnight.

The AirAsia flight that we are going to fly to Hong Kong was scheduled at 7.00am the next morning, so McDonald's was the place that I stayed (and slept) throughout the night. The terminal has just been recently expanded so it can occupy more visitors, more makan outlets: Marrybrown, McD, KFC, Coffee Bean, Old Town Kopitiam, etc.

Spent MYR 14.05 for a set of McSpicy Deluxe Burger Set with Milo for late, late dinner. Expensive hur...

Later in 3-4am, my travelmates came. Morning breakfast at Old Town Kopitiam...

Spent around MYR 8.50 per person.

Check-in luggage. 12.8kg. Below than 15kg lol...

My so-called air ticket. Low cost carrier sure must keep the cost low...that's why.

Because we re-scheduled our trip from 2 weeks to 1 week, the flight has to be rescheduled too. Total expenditure on KUL-HKG flight per person on AirAsia: MYR 210.20 (originally bought in Feb 2009) + MYR 110.40 (change fee + fare differences) = MYR 320.60... *fingers burned*...

Around 6.30am, check-in. AirAsia - World's Best Low Cost Carrier!

Yes, by the way, the three Maskmen join the Hong Kong trip forces were:

My myself... and

(from right) Siew Hong & Yee Keat a.k.a. vivalive :)

Here we fly!

Early morning, the sky a bit dark and cloudy. Hours later, :)

Four hours then, we set to arrive the city of Asia, Hong Kong!

Next episode: HKIA --> Hong Kong city --> 1st Lunch in HK --> more photos ahead!

It is totally INSANE!!!

No, unbelieveable!

How to make me to believe that this is true?

Emm...book it first!

And...here's the outcome...

Apa ini??? 12.00 SGD to n fro Singapore and KL with fees inclusive!

Hurry! It's only from today to Friday only!

Tiger Airways

Job Hunts around...did I found any?

Something unfortunate happened yesterday.

In microscopic view, I lost all my photos. So, my posts in future could be more words than photos. 

In a bigger view, I lost my FYP stuffs, my four years of academic stuffs (softcopy), all sort of songs, installation files, career-related files, etc.

In a bigger than bigger view, I lost my external hard disk.

In a macroscopic view, I lost my 250Gb external hard disk, a working shirt with tie, water bottle, some education certificates, a set of casual shirt and pants.

To summarize, overall, I lost my bag...due to negligence.

Let's pray that good Samaritans able to find my bag and hand over to the campus security office.

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Next, some updates on my career hunts.

After applied for 37 companies for 40+ different kinds of jobs (engineering, logistics, management trainee, sales & marketing, etc...) since last October, went for 6 campus walk-in interviews, being invited for a phone interview and 4 company interviews, finally...

...I am still hunting for jobs...sweat hor...when I meet with my friends, the first question would be: "Hey, working now lar?" or "Found a job already?" similar kind of questions. Yes, for current economic situation, it is quite hard to get a permanent job as the employers would become more picky and choose only the best among the best (IQ + EQ + skills + characteristics + ...). For me, I was quite fortunate that I have been invited for several phone or face-to-face interviews at their respective companies to present (or hard sell? lol) myself, but as I said, employers would choose the best among the best, and hence I kena rejected for several times. 

However, plenty companies chose to silent themselves and did not reply me whether I was been selected for further considerations or not. No email replies, no phone calls, most probably my application was in non-recycleable bin already. So, my life everyday was just waiting and waiting...and sourcing for job searches concurrently. This week I am working part time in NTU Annual Teaching & Learning Seminar for a week, at least can support part of my housing rental...and my meals (seminar ma, so got free breakfast, tea time, lunch meals).

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Let's talk one happy stuff, also happened yesterday: I won Jolin Tsai's latest album "Butterfly" and a poster! Thanks Jurong Point! Perhaps this could be a good sign that bad lucks will be gone away, and good news coming on soon? Hopefully yes!

And Fireflyz is flying Ipoh - Singapore from July 09 onwards! From RM88 onwards inclusive tax & surcharge! Check http://www.fireflyz.com.my for more details!

Now Everyone Can Fly Cheaper to Taiwan! or For FREE?

As seen in Taiwan variety shows like Jacky Wu's 食字路口, besides you envy why Jacky Wu can have the abilities to invite so much pretty female artists, perhaps you would fall in love with lotz of food varieties and interesting places or sceneries that are available in Taiwan island! But somehow the air flight tickets might not be as cheap as you go to Hong Kong or China.

Taiwan food stalls 台湾小食 and nice sceneries are everywhere!

Now, it's not a dream anymore!

Air Asia X commences KL-Taipei flight starting this July 1st! From what I found, the ticket price for one way flight starts at RM206 (inclusive tax). Quite a great deal which makes me think on whether want to plan for a trip to Taiwan in coming next year, hahaha...Booking starts from today!

AirAsia

Now Everyone Can Fly...cheaper to Taiwan!

or as mentioned in the title...for FREE?

AirAsia Blog Your Way to Taipei!

Just create a blog post on what your travel fantasy will be in Taipei, Taiwan and you could be on the way to win a pair of air tickets to Taipei...surely fly with Air Asia la...Check the link above for more information!

Finally...Ipoh-ians can FLY high!

After N months of waiting since Air Asia cancelled the route between Ipoh-JB somewhere 3 years ago, finally with the bilateral air services agreement between Malaysia and Singapore, there would be a possiblity that there will be direct flights between Ipoh-Singapore!!!

Source from Channelnewsasia.com on 14th April 2009:

"The new agreement gives carriers of both countries the right to operate between Singapore and six new destinations in Malaysia, namely Ipoh, Kuala Terengganu, Kuantan, Malacca, Sandakan and Tawau. It also provides increased traffic rights to existing cities, namely Penang, Langkawi, Kuching and Kota Kinabalu..."

Also there would have rights to have direct flights to n fro to other cities too!

"Under the new agreement, Singapore carriers will have traffic rights to operate 21 weekly services to Ipoh and 14 weekly services each to Kuala Terengganu, Kuantan, Malacca, Sandakan and Tawau.

For existing routes, Singapore carriers will have increased traffic rights to operate a total of 70 services a week to Penang and 27 services a week to Langkawi.

Additionally, carriers of both countries are also allowed to operate an additional 14 weekly services between Singapore and each of the East Malaysian cities of Kuching and Kota Kinabalu. "

If the airfares are affordable, this policy will promote tourism business in Malaysia termendously! And those who wants to balik kampung (means go back hometown in Malay), like me, can go back faster. Just imagine you can go back to Ipoh from Singapore in 4-5 hours time instead bumping up with land transports for N hours on the way back home during Chinese New Year...

and just now...it's confirmed!



Firefly Direct Flight Ipoh-Singapore by mid-June or early-July 2009!!!

Source: Sinchew Daily 15th April 2009

"（霹靂‧怡保）霹靂州政府和廉航飛螢航空公司達成協議，敲定7月首開從怡保直飛新加坡的航線，使沉寂多年的怡保蘇丹阿茲蘭沙機場恢復活力。
...

他週二（4月14日）受到星洲日報詢問時證實，州政府已同意在怡保蘇丹阿茲蘭沙機場首創往返新加坡的航線，並於6月中至7月初起飛，相信票價大眾化。
“州政府首2年協助飛螢豁免數項費用，包括乘客機場稅、機場費用和添油設備等。”

他指出，飛螢將提供每週4趟往返怡保和新加坡的班次，分別是週一、三、五及日。
“飛螢提供的是全新的ATR型客機，共有72個座位，設計新穎美觀。由於屬小型客機，適用於目前的怡保機場跑道，因此怡保機場無須進行修改工程便可直接起飛。”"

Able to fetch my parents to attend my graduation ceremony on July without taking 8 hours of bus journeys!!!

Can't wait for the online booking to be released soon!

World's Best Low-Cost Airline wants you to become a Pilot!

Hope it's not too late for you guys to know it...

So, did you dream of becoming a pilot when you are small?

"Wah, it can fly worrr..."

How about now? Especially when you see pilots wearing smart uniforms in TV movies / series, bringing passengers safely from one place to another, and traveling around the world?

"i like pretty girls more, shhh, don't tell others..."

Don't have the skills? 

~ I don't have too!

Entrance test very difficicult and competitive? 

~ Yes for sure, it's a profession what! Fly hundreds of people leh, don't play play!

But I have the ambition to become a pilot! Can I?

Yes!

You Can!

How?

Just Write?

Write to who?

Write a BLOG!

Har? A B-L-O-G??!!??!! 

A Blog can make me to become a pilot? Are you serius?

Serius-er than serius! If I cheat you, means Air Asia is cheating both of us!

Then......hhow ah?

Air Asia is going to fulfill your dream of becoming a pilot and if you are one of the 10 individual bloggers chosen, then you are one step nearer to become a pilot! 

What a great achievement in your life if you become a pilot!

Your families, neighbours, uncles aunties will be proud of you!

"Can get free tickets wor..."

"Can travel to anywhere *envy*..."

"Pilot quite highly-paid wan..."

"ya lo, ya lo..."

Want to be a pilot? Send your blog entries to AirAsia between 1st Apr 09 (as I said, hope it's not too late for you to realise) and 15th May 09 and tell them why you are deserved to be one of the ten chosen ones to become the pilot. 

Term and regulations + contest information please click here.

Several great posts have been posted on the AirAsia blog space. Click here to read more.

So, If you become one of the pilots, do treat me for free flights! 

Now, who say you cannot be a pilot by just writing a blog?

Award-winning Skytrax's World's Best Low-Cost Airline

AirAsia 

Let's see CLEARLY...

...what's going wrong with the figure below, which is MAS air flight booking system:

Really very 'dai' (worth), get total flexibility at the lowest price.

That is what I saw this morning (12am & 8am, 21st Feb)...now (noon, 21st Feb), it resumes back to normal price (which also means not so low price anymore).

Book a ticket a few hours earlier can make a huge difference!

Free seats?

Getting mad of not getting any free seats? Desperate to find seats just like the guy in the video below?



Well, free seats are available now!!!

Standby yourself in front of computer at 10.02.09 00:00hrs

Hope can get some free seats for June's graduation trip...

...yes, I'm talking about Air Asia's free flight seats!!!

Updates: Book from 10 - 15 Feb 2009 Travel from 12 Oct 2009 - 31 Jan 2010
+ flights available between KL-Tianjin (Beijing)!

Click here for more details.

Ohhh, can't get free tickets for this June holiday... -_-

But then, with cheaper airfare to more & more places (coming up: Chengdu, Chongqing, Xian in China, as well as Taipei and Kaoshiung in Taiwan), more people can fly...shall open a new saving account purposely for travel expenses, lol...